An ancient Neo-Babylonian museum from 530BC was discovered in Iraq

Did you know that an ancient Neo-Babylonian museum (from 530BC) was discovered in Iraq, complete with neatly arranged artifacts and museum labels describing what the artifacts

Ennigaldi-Nanna’s museum is the first museum known to historians dating to circa 530 BCE. The curator was Princess Ennigaldi, the daughter of Nabonidus, the last king of the Neo-Babylonian Empire. It was located in the state of Ur, located in the modern-day Dhi Qar Governorate of Iraq, roughly 150 metres (490 ft) southeast of the famous Ziggurat of Ur

HISTORY

When archaeologists excavated certain parts of the palace and temple complex at Ur they determined that the dozens of artifacts, neatly arranged side by side, whose ages varied by centuries, were actually museum pieces – since they came with what was finally determined to be “museum labels”. These consisted of clay cylinder drums with labels in three different languages.

Nabonidus, her father, an antiquarian and antique restorer, taught Ennigaldi to appreciate ancient artifacts. Her father is known as the first serious archeologist and influenced Ennigaldi to create her educational antiquity museum.

The palace grounds that included the museum were at the ancient building referred to as E-Gig-Par, which also had her living quarters. The palace grounds also included the palace subsidiary buildings.